Chuseok Fall Korean Festival: Event #3

The Gateway Korea Foundation is once again offering a fall Korean festival to mark the harvest season, featuring traditional games, dance and food. This year the organization is partnering with the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago to host “Korea Week in St. Louis” with additional activities, including a performing arts event and a week-long exhibit.

Korea Week is September 10-17, with the Chuseok festival events on September 16th and 17th. All events are free to the public.

Chuseok means "the great middle (of autumn)" and is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea. Chuseok is a celebration of the good harvest, when Korean families visit ancestral hometowns, enjoy song, dance and folk games, and share a feast of traditional foods.

The chairperson of Gateway Korea Foundation, Young-Hie Nahm Kromm, A.I.A., says the festival offers the public a chance to immerse themselves in her native Korea’s 4,000-year old culture. “Our goal is to share the many beautiful aspects of Korean culture and traditional values such as being mindful of our limited natural resources, and being artful in the presentation of food,” she said.

In Kromm’s view, America is not so much a melting pot as it is a great salad, where each culture adds a unique ingredient that can still be experienced even when combined with the others. “That’s why it’s important to learn about different cultures – so we can enjoy the contributions each of them bring,” Kromm said.

Celebrating Chuseok wouldn’t be complete without a taste of traditional Korean dishes. A favorite Chuseok dish is Kimchi, also spelled Kimchee or Gimchi, which is a side dish made of vegetables with a variety of spicy seasonings. Other dishes that will be available at Chuseok are Bulgogi, Song Pyon and barbecued meats.

Founded in 2012, the Gateway Korea Foundation provides opportunities for the public to learn about and experience Korean culture. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, the Gateway Korea Foundation draws from communities across the American Midwest to nurture a greater understanding and appreciation for Korean culture. www.gateway-korea.org